cripple:
(also rarely ‘crippler‘; plural: ‘cripples‘; pronunciation: the letter ‘c’ in this word is said with a ‘k’ sound)
a person (or animal) who cannot use one or more of his hands/arms and legs, especially legs, like normal people,
a young cripple (without his left leg)
e.g.
Though being a cripple, Joe leads a normal life and does most of his house chores himself.
The most important help we can give any cripple is accepting them as normal people, which gives them mental strength that is stronger than physical.
There are special sports and sports equipment that help cripples to participate in some sports and other recreational activities.
Note: In the present usage, using the word ‘cripple’ is considered rude or insulting, therefore a more common word used in place of ‘cripple’ is “physically challenged” or “under privileged” or “disabled person”, and if the problem is related to the mind, “person with special needs”, etc.
a cripple begging
For a serious piece of writing on a book called ‘On Being A Cripple’, please click here, for an article on how cripples in New York city have been helped, please click here, for another article on how war-wounded cripples get help, please click here, and for an item of news that has this word in verb form, please click here.
(international sign for cripples)
Note: ‘Cripple’ is more commonly used as an adjective and verb, mostly in the form ‘crippled’, to mean ‘to stop or obstruct or discourage’, e.g. as a verb, “The war crippled the country’s economy.” and as an adjective, “Economists and finance experts are trying their best to set the crippled economy back on track.”
Return to “disabled“.
